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Recollections of S. F. Sparks.

insulting him. The poor fellow was nearly out of his wits, andsaid, "What shall I do? They told me he was a blacksmith, andI did not know that he was General Houston." Finally some onetold him the best plan was to go to Houston and ask forgiveness.So he went, and with hat off, he tremblingly told his story. Gen-eral Houston said, "My friend, they told you right, I am a verygood blacksmith," and taking up the gun, he snapped it two orthree times, and said, "She is in good order now, and I hope youare going to do some good fighting."That night the guard received orders to arrest any one whoshould attempt to go in or out of the lines. After all the officershad retired for the night, General Houston attempted to pass. Hewas hailed by one of the guard, "Who comes there ?" "I am Gen-eral Houston, let me pass on." "I don't know you to be GeneralHouston, and don't you move or I'll shoot. General Houston said,"Call the sergeant of the guard." The guard called him and hisnumber, and then said, "Mark time now, or I'll kill you." Andthe General marked time. When the sergeant came, he did notknow the General, and carried him to the guard fire. After hehad been there a while, he sent and had General Rusk waked up,and he came and released General Houston.The next day we took up the line of march for Harrisburg.The road was new and boggy, and the prairies covered with water.We had but few wagons, and our teams were insufficient to travelvery fast, so we soon began to bog down. General Houston woulddismount from his horse, and go into the mud and water, and say,"Come on men, let's roll her out." If the men did not respondas he thought they ought to, he would be the first to take hold ofthe wheels.Houston then detailed ten men, and gave them to G. B. Crann,and gave ten others to me, and said to Crann, "Here are yourwagons," and to me, "Here are yours." Dividing the numberequally between us, then he said, "When you see either of yourwagons begin to do down in the mud, order your men to take holdand roll them out, and if they refuse to do, it, report them to me."There were no more bogged wagons that night. We got throughthe mud, and into a road that had been traveled so that the teamswere enabled to manage the wagons without the aid of the men.The next day I was detailed with five or six other men to, gather